Opening of a New Church at Cardrona.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 21, 22 May 1902, Page 20

Opening of a New Church at Cardrona.

ON Sunday, May 11, the new Catholic Church at Cardrona was solemnly blessed and opened by the Rev. Father Murphy, Adm., St. Joseph's Cathedral. There was a very large congregation present on the occasion. The church was dedicated for divine service under the patronage of St. Bridget of Ireland, Father Murphy celebrated Mass (says the Lake County J'n'is) and afterwards preached an eloquent sermon, taking for his text ' The work is great, for a house is prepared not for man but for God.' la the course of his addie^s the rev. preacher referred to the great sanctity necessary m a place erected for the worship of Our Blessed Lord, and explained that in building a church for divine service the people were at the same time rrecting a monument of their faith. He instanced the holy and beautiful Temple of Solomon. He dwelt at length on the good work done by their pastor, the Rev. Father O'Dunm-11, and the way he had energetically carried out the big undertakings in church matters. Father Murphy al*-o congratulated the people on their ready assistance. One ot the results of the sermon was a very big collection to defray expenses in connection with the new church. The congregation included, visitors from all parts of the district,

among whom were M>ssrs Kerin and M'Carthy from Hawea. Mr R J Cotter a:comp,ini d Father Murphy to Cardrona the day prior to thp opening of the church. The Cardrona people feel very pmud of their little church, and justly so, for it has been finished in a thoroughly neat and workmanlike manner.